The Delhi government has opposed moves to force women pillion passengers to wear crash helmets because it is a "sensitive issue" and will be unpopular with women who fear it will ruin their hair.

Under Indian law all riders and passengers must wear crash helmets, but the Delhi government allowed a religious exemption initially for Sikh men and women but later extended it to all womenPhoto: ALAMY

Women's rights and safety campaigners have taken the government to court over the issue in a move that threatens one of India's most enduring images – the poised Indian lady perched side-saddle on the back of a scooter.

Under Indian law all riders and passengers must wear crash helmets, but the Delhi government allowed a religious exemption initially for Sikh men and women but later extended it to all women.

Activists have challenged the government in Delhi's High Court where the state government's lawyer told the judge:"The stakeholders and the transport department arrived at a decision not to make helmets compulsory for women two-wheeler riders. The issue is sensitive and further deliberation is required," she said.

But according to safety campaigners and women biker groups crash helmets are unpopular among women passengers because wearing them ruins their hair styles.

"They find it inconvenient because of their hair. It becomes sweaty and safety is not their concern," said P.R Ullhas, an activist who is challenging the government to enforce safety rules. He said similar moves to force women to wear helmets in Goa met with fierce resistance from female pillion passengers.

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"A woman spends a considerable time in getting a hair style done everyday and also spends huge sum on hair make-up. Using a helmet will obviously spoil the efforts to look beautiful," said hair stylist Jawed Habib.

K K Kapila of the International Road Federation agreed and said his organisation would happily supply combs and brushes to persuade women to put safety ahead of vanity. I don't mind the International Road Federation giving them some brushes to make their hair nice after wearing the helmet," he said.

Bindu Reddy of the Bangalore-based female biker club Hop on Gurls said all riders and passengers in Bangalore wear helmets but in Mumbai there was resistance from women who "do not want to wear a helmet because it might spoil their hairdo. But they can wear a scarf or hair net under the helmet," she said.

Supporters of tougher rules said there had been a surge of deaths among women in road traffic accidents in recent years, many of them pillion scooter and bike passengers.